In April this year, Malaysia’s national human rights panel Suhakam was shocked to learn that more than 600 prisoner deaths happened over the last 2 years from 2015-2016. Out of this, 521 deaths happened in prisons, 100 in immigration detention centres, and 12 in police lock ups. And out of that number, 118 were foreigners (workers, refugees and asylum seekers), more than half were from Myanmar.

If 600 prisoners died over the course of 2 years, that’s like one prisoner dying EVERY DAY or every OTHER day. Why is this happening? What is the cause of their deaths? Some people might suspect it has something to do with the police...and their fists.
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Actually, disease is the main cause of these prisoner deaths

Specifically in these 2 years alone, the main cause of prisoner deaths was identified as DISEASE, according to Suhakam. What kind of diseases? HIV, cancer, cardiac arrest, blood problems, tuberculosis, and asthma, Home Minister Zahid Hamidi revealed in Parliament.

This is not surprising because prisons are dirty and overcrowded, allowing for infectious, airborne diseases like tuberculosis (TB) to spread faster. TB in particular is on the rise. But the worst one is lock ups because prisoners are only under remand. They’rein and out fast, compared to jail and immigration detention centres, where prisoners are serving their sentence (meaning their stay is longer) elaborated an official from the Health Ministry.
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But there are other causes of prisoner deaths…

Sometimes, it’s suicide. Or is it?

To be honest we couldn’t find much on prison suicides in Malaysia, though according to Suhakam’s report, 30 suicide cases were recorded from 2000 to 2014. The Commission feels that these suicides could have been avoided if they implemented the following changes: put CCTV in the cells to identify who are at risk of self-harm or suicide, so that they can be monitored more closely. Suhakam also recommended that proper autopsies be conducted for suicide cases.
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Sometimes, inmates are beaten to death by the police

Let’s face it, we’ve all seen police brutality happening on TV, whether real or in shows, and here in Malaysia it’s no different. We’re not saying all cops are violent, but there have been many cases where inmates have been beaten up, or worse, killed, in custody. Even Anwar Ibrahim received a black eye in 1998, when then Inspector General of Police (of all cops) slapped, punched and karate-kicked the handcuffed and blindfolded politician.

Over 1,600 deaths in custody since 2010, DPM reveals

BY KAMLES KUMAR

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 — There have been 1,654 deaths in custody cases since 2010 until February this year, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi divulged today.

The deputy prime minister in a written parliamentary reply gave assurance that the police will not compromise or protect any police or enforcement officers who are suspected of violence resulting in injuries or death in custody.

“The statistics for death in custody from 2010 to February 2017 is 1,654 people, while the occupants received further treatment at the hospital from diseases like HIV, cancer, heart attack, blood issues, lungs, TB, asthma and other diseases,” he said in his response to DAP MP Kasthuri Patto.

Ahmad Zahid also gave a complete racial breakdown of the deceased: 1,037 were Malays, 222 ethnic Chinese, 182 ethnic Indians, 28 from other ethnicities, and 185 foreigners.